Masticatory performance indicates the development of psychological frailty: A 6-year prospective cohort study by the SONIC study group.

Purpose: Although the association between oral health and physical frailty is well established, psychological frailty has not been investigated. Therefore, this prospective cohort study was conducted to examine the association between masticatory performance and psychological frailty in older community-dwelling Japanese individuals.

Methods: The participants included 498 older adults who completed baseline and 3- and 6-year follow-up surveys.

Identification of a major QTL conferring resistance to derived from the winter wheat 'Hokkai 240' on chromosome 2AS.

Wheat yellow mosaic disease is a soilborne disease caused by (WYMV). Symptoms include yellow mosaic coloring of leaves, stunting, and growth inhibition. Here we conducted a detailed analysis of resistance to this virus in winter wheat 'Hokkai 240' by carrying out inoculation tests of WYMV and conducting field tests.

New Perspective on the Clinical and Laboratory Characteristics of Rheumatoid Pleural Effusion: A 29-Case Series.

Objective Rheumatoid pleural effusion (RPE) usually occurs in middle-aged men. Pleural fluid analyses have revealed high lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels and low pH and glucose levels in RPE. We aimed to investigate the clinical and laboratory features of patients with RPE since the beginning of the 21st century.

Suvorexant for Reduction of Delirium in Older Adults After Hospitalization: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Delirium is common among older hospitalized adults. In addition to presenting immediate management issues, delirium can increase the long-term risk of dementia, institutionalization, and mortality. Delirium is associated with disrupted sleep, and prior studies suggest that some specific sleep-promoting agents may reduce delirium.

Association between serum vitamin D levels and skeletal muscle indices in an older Japanese population: The SONIC study.

Aim: Vitamin D (VD) affects skeletal muscles. The high prevalence of VD deficiency in Japan may lead to decreased skeletal muscle mass and strength, increasing the prevalence of sarcopenia. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the association between serum VD levels and skeletal muscle indices in a Japanese community-dwelling older population.

Evolution of wheat blast resistance gene Rmg8 accompanied by differentiation of variants recognizing the powdery mildew fungus.

Wheat blast, a devastating disease having spread recently from South America to Asia and Africa, is caused by Pyricularia oryzae (synonym of Magnaporthe oryzae) pathotype Triticum, which first emerged in Brazil in 1985. Rmg8 and Rmg7, genes for resistance to wheat blast found in common wheat and tetraploid wheat, respectively, recognize the same avirulence gene, AVR-Rmg8. Here we show that an ancestral resistance gene, which had obtained an ability to recognize AVR-Rmg8 before the differentiation of Triticum and Aegilops, has expanded its target pathogens.

Breeding of a Near-Isogenic Wheat Line Resistant to Wheat Blast at Both Seedling and Heading Stages Through Incorporation of .

Wheat blast caused by pathotype (MoT) has been transmitted from South America to Bangladesh and Zambia and is now spreading in these countries. To prepare against its further spread to Asian countries, we introduced , a gene for resistance to wheat blast, into a Japanese elite cultivar, Chikugoizumi (ChI), through recurrent backcrosses and established ChI near-isogenic lines, #2-1-10 with the / genotype and #4-2-10 with the / genotype. A molecular analysis suggested that at least 96.

An observational study to identify causative factors for not using hydroxychloroquine in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) use is indicated for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Nevertheless, reports discussing the reasons for not prescribing HCQ are limited. We identified the factors that interfere with HCQ use in patients with SLE.

Successful treatment of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome complicated by primary peritonitis and bilateral empyema in a healthy young woman: Identification of uncommon clone and novel sequence type 1363.

Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) has a dramatic clinical course and high mortality rate. Here, we report a case of STSS complicated by primary peritonitis and bilateral empyema. A previously healthy young woman was diagnosed with STSS complicated by primary peritonitis and bilateral empyema.

Risk factors of cognitive impairment: Impact of decline in oral function.

Cognitive impairment and subsequent dementia are the major causes of disability and need for nursing care among older people in worldwide. The purpose is to review well-known risk factors for cognitive impairment and dementia, focusing on the relationship between decline in oral function and current prevention strategies. Various non-modifiable and modifiable risk factors are related to cognitive impairment.

Relationship between the number of teeth, occlusal force, occlusal contact area, and dietary hardness in older Japanese adults: The SONIC study.

Purpose: Individuals with impaired masticatory function tend to prefer soft foods, which results in decreased masticatory muscle activity. This study examined the association between the oral condition (number of teeth, occlusal force, and occlusal contact area) and dietary hardness using a daily dietary questionnaire.

Methods: This cross-sectional study evaluated 1841 participants aged 69-71 and 79-81 years.

Intestinal expression patterns of transcription factors and markers for interstitial cells in the larval zebrafish.

For the digestion of food, it is important for the gut to be differentiated regionally and to have proper motor control. However, the number of transcription factors that regulate its development is still limited. Meanwhile, the interstitial cells of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract are necessary for intestinal motility in addition to the enteric nervous system.

A multi-centre, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of ramelteon for the prevention of postoperative delirium in elderly cancer patients: a study protocol for JORTC-PON2/J-SUPPORT2103/NCCH2103.

Postoperative delirium is an important issue in cancer patients, affecting surgical outcomes and the quality of life. Ramelteon is a melatonin receptor agonist with high affinity for MT1 and MT2 receptors. Clinical trials and observational studies in Japan, including in surgical cancer patients, have shown efficacy of ramelteon in delirium prevention, with no serious safety concerns.

Prevalence and factors associated with polypharmacy among patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a single-centre, cross-sectional study.

Objective: This study aimed to identify factors associated with polypharmacy, including social aspects, among patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Methods: We conducted this single-centre, cross-sectional study at a 715-bed regional tertiary care teaching hospital in Japan from 1 September to 30 November 2020. Polypharmacy was defined as having five or more medications administered orally regularly, and excessive polypharmacy was defined as having 10 or more medications administered orally regularly.

The Impact of Early Optimization of Infliximab Blood Concentrations >1 μg/mL on Therapeutic Effectiveness in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Background: Infliximab is a human-murine chimeric monoclonal IgG antibody against tumor necrosis factor that is used in combination with methotrexate for the treatment of moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The trough concentration of serum infliximab required to control disease activity in RA is ≥1 μg/mL, and we investigated whether this trough concentration can predict the effectiveness of RA treatment.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the cases of 76 patients with RA.

Single-centre, cross-sectional study on the factors and reasons for non-vaccination among patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives: We aimed to investigate the vaccination coverage and the factors associated with non-vaccination for vaccine-preventable diseases among patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Methods: This single-centre, cross-sectional study was conducted in a 715-bed regional tertiary-care teaching hospital in Japan from 1 September to 30 November 2020. Vaccination status and the factors and reasons for not receiving the influenza vaccine, 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23), 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13), and varicella vaccine live (VVL) were investigated.

Factors and Reasons for Non-vaccination among Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Single-centre, Cross-sectional Study.

Objective This study aimed to clarify the vaccination coverage of vaccine-preventable diseases and the factors and reasons for non-vaccination among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods This single-centre, cross-sectional study was conducted from 1 September to 30 November 2020 in a 715-bed regional tertiary-care teaching hospital in Japan. A questionnaire survey was undertaken to investigate the vaccination status of patients with SLE, and the factors and reasons for not receiving the influenza vaccine, 23-valent-pneumococcal-polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23), 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13), varicella vaccine live (VVL), and recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV).

Polypharmacy prevalence and associated factors in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: A single-centre, cross-sectional study.

Objectives: This study aimed to clarify factors associated with polypharmacy among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Methods: This single-centre cross-sectional study was conducted by reviewing the medical records and questionnaire data of 261 systemic lupus erythematosus patients at a teaching hospital in Japan from 1 September to 30 November 2020. Polypharmacy was defined as the regular administration of five or more oral medications; excessive polypharmacy consisted of the regular use of 10 or more oral medications.

Clinical characteristics of rheumatoid arthritis patients complicated with pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacterial disease: A cross-sectional case series study.

Objectives: Pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacterial disease (pNTM) is a common pulmonary complication of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but their association has rarely been researched. We aimed to reveal the clinical characteristics of RA with pNTM.

Methods: Among all the RA patients who visited Tenri hospital from April 2017 to March 2018, we enrolled those fulfilling the 2007 ATS/IDSA diagnostic criteria of pNTM, and sex- and age- matched control group at a ratio of 1:5.